Computer system with side plenum cooling

ABSTRACT

A rack-mountable computer system directs separate portions of a cooling airflow from an inlet air plenum in the computer system interior through separate air passages to remove heat from separate portions of a set of heat-producing components. The air passages can preclude a portion of cooling airflow removing heat from a component from being preheated by another component. Plenums and air passages can be established through the arrangement of components in the interior. Components can be arranged in progressive offsets throughout the depth of the interior to vary plenum flow area throughout the depth, which can progressively impede and redirect airflow through the inlet plenum into the air passages. Arrangements can include an angled row, a staggered configuration, etc. The computer system can include a chassis which can translate, while maintaining operation of hot-pluggable electronic components coupled throughout the depth, to enable swapping of hot-pluggable electronic components throughout the interior.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/460,075, filed Aug. 14, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,474,190, which ishereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Organizations such as on-line retailers, Internet service providers,search providers, financial institutions, universities, and othercomputing-intensive organizations often conduct computer operations fromlarge scale computing facilities. Such computing facilities house andaccommodate a large amount of server, network, and computer equipment toprocess, store, and exchange data as needed to carry out anorganization's operations. Typically, a computer room of a computingfacility includes many server racks. Each server rack, in turn, includesmany servers and associated computer equipment.

Some computer systems, which can include servers, typically include anumber of components that generate waste heat. Such components includeprinted circuit boards, mass storage devices, power supplies, andprocessors. For example, some computers with multiple processors maygenerate 250 watts of waste heat. Some known computer systems include aplurality of such larger, multiple-processor computers that areconfigured into rack-mounted components, and then are subsequentlypositioned within a rack system. Some known rack systems include 40 suchrack-mounted components and such rack systems will therefore generate asmuch as 10 kilowatts of waste heat. Moreover, some known data centersinclude a plurality of such rack systems.

Some servers include a number of components that are mounted in aninterior of the server. The components, which can include printedcircuit boards (for example, a motherboard) and mass storage devices,can support one or more components that generate waste heat, referred toherein as “heat-producing components”. For example, a motherboard cansupport a central processing unit, and mass storage devices can includehard disk drives which include motors and electronic components thatgenerate heat. Some or all of this heat must be removed from thecomponents to maintain continuous operation of a server. The amount ofheat generated by the central processing units, hard disk drives, etc.within a data room may be substantial. Heat may be removed from theheat-producing components via an airflow flowing through a server.

In some cases, cooling systems, including air moving systems, may beused to induce airflow through one or more portions of a data center,including airflow through a rack-mounted server that includes variousheat-producing components. However, some servers direct airflow throughan interior that includes multiple heat-producing components, so thatair removes heat as it passes through the interiors, so that air passingover heat-producing components in a downstream portion of the server hasa reduced heat removal capacity relative to air passing overheat-producing components in an upstream portion of the server. As aresult, less heat can be removed from downstream heat-producingcomponents than upstream heat-producing components. In some cases, thedownstream heat-producing components are more sensitive to heat than theupstream heat-producing components, which can result in a suboptimalconfiguration.

In some cases, a computer system mounted in a rack includes one or morehot-pluggable electronic components, which can be added, removed,swapped, etc. from a computer system without powering down the computersystem. Hot-pluggable electronic components in a computer system areoften mounted at an external side of the computer system, including a“front” side through which cooling air is received into the computersystem, to enable simplified access to the components for removal,addition, swapping, etc. In addition, mounting hot-pluggable electroniccomponents to an external side of the computer system enables hotswapping without moving the computer system itself. Mountinghot-pluggable electronic components throughout the depth of the computersystem interior can hamper hot-swapping efforts while maintainingoperations by other hot-pluggable electronic components. First, interioraccess can require moving at least a portion of the computer system outof a rack, which can impose cable management constraints to maintainoperation of hot-pluggable electronic components. In addition,hot-swapping operations can be complicated by space constraints withinthe computer system interior, as removal or addition of a hot-pluggableelectronic component in the interior, while maintaining operations byother installed components, can be complicated by a lack of interiorspace in which to translate, maneuver, etc. the component to be removedor added. Furthermore, as indicated above, mounting hot-pluggableelectronic components throughout the depth of the interior can result inpreheating of cooling air which removes heat from some components whichare downstream of other components, which can reduce cooling efficiencyand can negatively affect component performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes heat-producing components installed inupstream portions and downstream portions of the computer system chassisinterior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 1B is a graphical representation of a temperature profile of anairflow through a computer system chassis interior that removes heatfrom heat-producing components installed in an upstream portion andheat-producing components installed in a downstream portion of acomputer system chassis interior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes separate sets of heat-producingcomponents, each arranged in a staggered configuration, to establishside inlet air plenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and airpassages which direct separate portions of cooling air from a giveninlet air plenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separateportion of the components, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes separate sets of heat-producing components, eacharranged in a staggered configuration, to establish side inlet airplenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and partitioned air passageswhich direct separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet airplenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion ofthe components, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes support structures coupled to the computersystem chassis in arrangements to enable heat-producing components to beinstalled in staggered configurations to establish various air plenumsand air passages in the interior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes a set of heat-producing components arranged in astaggered configuration through the depth of the computer system toestablish a separate inlet air plenum and exhaust air plenum through thedepth of the computer system interior, and air passages which directseparate portions of cooling air from the inlet air plenum to flow inheat transfer communication with a separate portion of the components,according to some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes separate sets of heat-producingcomponents, each arranged in an angled configuration to establish sideinlet air plenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and air passageswhich direct separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet airplenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion ofthe components, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes separate sets of heat-producing components, eacharranged in an angled configuration, to establish side inlet air plenumsand a central exhaust air plenum, and partitioned air passages whichdirect separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet air plenum toflow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion of thecomponents, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of a setof support structures to which a set of heat-producing components can bemounted to arrange the components in a particular configuration and atleast partially establish one or more air passages and air plenums in acomputer system interior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of abackplane support structure to which a set of heat-producing componentscan be mounted to arrange the components in a particular configurationand at least partially establish one or more air passages and airplenums in a computer system interior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that is configured to translate out of a mounted rack toenable hot-swapping of hot-pluggable heat-producing component mounted instaggered configurations throughout the depth of the computer systeminterior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a side view of a computersystem including multiple chassis, where each chassis includes aseparate set of heat-producing components mounted on various supportstructures to establish air passages between separate air plenums in therespective chassis interior, according to some embodiments.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method of providing a computer system withheat-producing components arranged to establish separate air plenums andair passages in the computer system interior and to enable hot-swappingof components in the interior, according to some embodiments.

The various embodiments described herein are susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments are shown byway of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail.It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detaileddescription thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to theparticular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. The headings used herein arefor organizational purposes only and are not meant to be used to limitthe scope of the description or the claims. As used throughout thisapplication, the word “may” is used in a permissive sense (i.e., meaninghaving the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaningmust). Similarly, the words “include,” “including,” and “includes” meanincluding, but not limited to.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Various embodiments of computer systems, and systems and methods forperforming computing operations and removing waste heat from variousheat-producing components in computer systems, are disclosed. Accordingto one embodiment, a system for storing data, includes a rack and one ormore data storage modules coupled to the rack, where the data storagemodules include a chassis that at least partially encompasses a chassisinterior, multiple sets of hot-pluggable mass storage devices coupled tothe chassis, separate intake air plenums which receive cooling air froma separate intake air vent, at least one exhaust air plenum, andlaterally-oriented air passages through each separate set ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices. Each set of hot-pluggable massstorage devices extends at least partially through both a depth of thechassis interior and opposite directions through a width of the chassisinterior. Each intake air plenum is bounded by a separate intake vent, aseparate side of the chassis, and a proximate set of the at least twosets of hot-pluggable mass storage devices. Each set of air passagesdirects separate portions of cooling air flowing through an adjacentintake air plenum to flow laterally across a portion of a set ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices and into the exhaust plenum to removeheat from at least one hot-pluggable mass storage device in the set.

According to one embodiment, a data storage module includes a chassisand a support structure coupled to the chassis and configured to installa set of electronic components to establish separate air plenums and airpassages between the plenums which direct separate portions of coolingair flowing through the inlet air plenum to remove heat from at leastone electronic component in the set. The chassis includes a baseelement, inlet end, and an exhaust end that at least partially encompassa chassis interior having orthogonal first and second dimensions inparallel with the base element. The first dimension extends between theinlet end and the exhaust end. The set of electronic components extendsthrough both the first dimension and the second dimension of the chassisinterior to establish an inlet air plenum in flow communication with theinlet end and an exhaust plenum in flow communication with the exhaustend. The air passages extend between the inlet air plenum and theexhaust plenum in parallel with the base element and direct a separateportion of cooling air flowing through the inlet air plenum to flow inparallel with the base element and across at least a portion of the setand into the exhaust plenum.

According to one embodiment, a method includes configuring a computersystem, which includes a chassis encompassing a chassis interior, todirect separate portions of an intake air flow into the chassis interiorto remove heat from separate portions of electronic components in thechassis interior. Such configuring includes coupling several electroniccomponents to one or more support structures coupled to a base elementof the chassis to establish a set of electronic components, one or moreintake air plenums in the chassis interior, and one or more exhaustplenums in the chassis interior, and air passages between the plenums.The set of electronic components extends through the depth of thechassis interior, physically separate from side ends of the chassis. Theintake air plenum is bounded by one side of the set of electroniccomponents, a portion of the base element of the chassis, and is in flowcommunication with an intake end of the chassis. The exhaust plenum isbounded by an opposite side of the set of electronic components, anotherportion of the base element of the chassis, and is in flow communicationwith an exhaust end of the chassis. The air passages direct separateportions of an air flow through the intake air plenums to flow, inparallel with the base element of the chassis across separate portionsof the set of electronic components and into the exhaust plenum.

As used herein, “air moving device” includes any device, element,system, or combination thereof that can move air. Examples of air movingdevices include fans, blowers, and compressed air systems.

As used herein, “backplane” means a plate or board to which otherelectronic components, such as mass storage devices, circuit boards, canbe mounted. In some embodiments, mass storage devices, which can includeone or more hard disk drives, are plugged into a backplane in agenerally perpendicular orientation relative to the face of thebackplane. In some embodiments, a backplane includes and one or morepower buses that can transmit power to components on the backplane, andone or more data buses that can transmit data to and from componentsinstalled on the backplane.

As used herein, “circuit board” means any board or plate that has one ormore electrical conductors transmitting power, data, or signals fromcomponents on or coupled to the circuit board to other components on theboard or to external components. In certain embodiments, a circuit boardis an epoxy glass board with one or more conductive layers therein. Acircuit board may, however, be made of any suitable combination ofmaterials. A circuit board can include a printed circuit board.

As used herein, “chassis” means a structure or element that supportsanother element or to which other elements can be mounted. A chassis mayhave any shape or construction, including a frame, a sheet, a plate, abox, a channel, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, a chassisis made from one or more sheet metal parts. A chassis for a computersystem may support circuit board assemblies, power supply units, datastorage devices, fans, cables, and other components of the computersystem.

As used herein, “computing” includes any operations that can beperformed by a computer, such as computation, data storage, dataretrieval, or communications.

As used herein, “computer system” includes any of various computersystems, computing devices, or components thereof. One example of acomputer system is a rack-mounted server. As used herein, the termcomputer is not limited to just those integrated circuits referred to inthe art as a computer, but broadly refers to a processor, a server, amicrocontroller, a microcomputer, a programmable logic controller (PLC),an application specific integrated circuit, and other programmablecircuits, and these terms are used interchangeably herein. In thevarious embodiments, memory may include, but is not limited to, acomputer-readable medium, such as a random access memory (RAM).Alternatively, a compact disc-read only memory (CD-ROM), amagneto-optical disk (MOD), and/or a digital versatile disc (DVD) mayalso be used. Also, additional input channels may include computerperipherals associated with an operator interface such as a mouse and akeyboard. Alternatively, other computer peripherals may also be usedthat may include, for example, a scanner. Furthermore, in the someembodiments, additional output channels may include an operatorinterface monitor and/or a printer.

As used herein, “data center” includes any facility or portion of afacility in which computer operations are carried out. A data center mayinclude servers dedicated to specific functions or serving multiplefunctions. Examples of computer operations include informationprocessing, communications, testing, simulations, power distribution andcontrol, and operational control.

As used herein, to “direct” air includes directing or channeling air,such as to a region or point in space. In various embodiments, airmovement for directing air may be induced by creating a high pressureregion, a low pressure region, or a combination both. For example, airmay be directed downwardly within a chassis by creating a low pressureregion at the bottom of the chassis. In some embodiments, air isdirected using vanes, panels, plates, baffles, pipes or other structuralelements.

As used herein, “member” includes a single element or a combination oftwo or more elements (for example, a member can include two or moresheet metal parts fastened to one another.

As used herein, a “rack” means a rack, container, frame, or otherelement or combination of elements that can contain or physicallysupport one or more computer systems.

As used herein, “room” means a room or a space of a building. As usedherein, “computer room” means a room of a building in which computersystems, such as rack-mounted servers, are operated.

As used herein, a “space” means a space, area or volume.

As used herein, “shelf” means any element or combination of elements onwhich an object can be rested. A shelf may include, for example, aplate, a sheet, a tray, a disc, a block, a grid, or a box. A shelf maybe rectangular, square, round, or another shape. In some embodiments, ashelf may be one or more rails.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes heat-producing components installed inupstream portions and downstream portions of the computer system chassisinterior, according to some embodiments. FIG. 1B is a graphicalrepresentation of a temperature profile of an airflow through a computersystem chassis interior that removes heat from heat-producing componentsinstalled in an upstream portion and heat-producing components installedin a downstream portion of a computer system chassis interior, accordingto some embodiments. As used herein, “installing” and “mounting” areused interchangeably.

Computer system 100 includes a chassis 108 that at least partiallyencompasses a chassis interior 101, upstream heat-producing components122 that are coupled to a base element 110 of the chassis 108 in anupstream portion of the interior 101, downstream heat-producingcomponents 124, 125 coupled to the base element 110 of the chassis 108in a downstream portion of the interior, and an inlet air vent 106 in aninlet element 112 on an inlet end 180 of the chassis 108 which directscooling air 107 into the chassis interior 101 via the inlet end 180.Chassis 108 includes at least a base element 110, side elements 111, andan inlet element 112. Components 122, 124, 125 coupled to the chassis108 in a portion of the chassis interior 101 can include electroniccomponents that are installed in the chassis interior 101, andinstalling an electronic component in the chassis interior 101 caninclude coupling the component to a portion of the chassis, such thatthe component is mounted in a particular position in the chassisinterior 101. One or more electronic components can include one or moreheat-producing components and can include one or more hot-pluggableelectronic components, including one or more hot-pluggable mass storagedevices. Mass storage devices can include one or more hard disk drives(HDDs), solid state drives (SSDs), etc.

In some embodiments, a computer system 100 includes an inlet end 180that is configured to face into an aisle space when the computer system100 is mounted in a rack. The aisle space can include a cold aisle thatsupplies cooling air 107 into the computer system to remove waste heatfrom heat-producing components installed in the computer systeminterior. The cooling air 107 can enter the computer system interior,which can include a chassis interior 101, via one or more inlet airvents 106 installed in an inlet end 180 of the computer system. In theillustrated embodiment, for example, chassis 108 includes an inletelement 112 at the inlet end 180 of the computer system 100, where theinlet element 112 includes one or more inlet vents 106 through whichcooling air 107 passes into the interior 101. Such cooling air, referredto hereinafter as a “cooling air flow”, can flow through the variousportions of the interior 101 that are in flow communication with theinlet vents 106 and remove heat from the various heat-producingcomponents, which can be included in one or more of component 122, 124,125 installed in positions that are in heat transfer communication withthe air flow 107.

A component in heat transfer communication with an air plenum, airpassage, air flow, etc. can include a component which is installed inthe chassis interior in a position that exposes one or more portions ofthe component to an air flow through an air plenum, air passage, etc.such that the air flow can remove heat from the component. In someembodiments, a component in heat transfer communication with an airplenum, air passage, air flow, etc. includes a component that is atleast partially installed within a portion of the air plenum throughwhich an air flow is directed. In some embodiments, an air plenum, airpassage, air flow, etc. in heat transfer communication with a componentincludes an air plenum, air passage, air flow, etc. in which thecomponent is installed, such that one or more portions of the componentare exposed to an air flow through the air plenum, air passage, etc.such that the air flow can remove heat from the component.

As shown in the illustrated embodiment, where heat-producing componentsare mounted throughout the depth of the chassis interior 101 from theinlet end 180 to the exhaust end 190, cooling air 107 which enters theinterior 101 can pass from the inlet end 180 towards the exhaust end 190in successive heat transfer communication with successive sets ofheat-producing components 122, 124, 125. A heat-producing component maybe referred to as an “upstream heat-producing component” or “downstreamheat-producing component” based at least in part upon the heat-producingcomponent being coupled to the chassis at a position which is downstreamof another set of heat-producing components with respect to an air flowthrough the interior. As a result, an air flow which removes heat fromone or more downstream heat-producing components, having previouslypassed in heat transfer communication with one or more upstreamheat-producing components, may have been preheated by the upstreamheat-producing components prior to passing in heat-transfercommunication with the downstream heat-producing components.

In some embodiments, as the cooling air flow 107 passes from the inletend 180 towards the exhaust end 190 and removes heat from heat-producingcomponents 122, 124, 125 coupled to the chassis 108 in various portionsof the chassis interior 101, the air flow 107 progressively increases intemperature and loses heat removal capacity. FIG. 1B shows a graph 139of a relationship 150 between the temperature 140 of the cooling airflow 107 and the distance 142 through which the air flow 107 passes inthe chassis interior 101, illustrated in FIG. 1A, between inlet end 180and exhaust end 190. As shown in FIG. 1B, the air flow 107 entering thechassis interior 101 at the inlet end 180 has a temperature 145 thatcorresponds to the temperature of the cooling air external to thecomputer system 100. As the air flow 107 passes through an upstreamportion of the interior 101 that is proximate to the inlet end 180, theair flow 107 removes heat from one or more upstream heat-producingcomponents 122 installed in heat transfer communication with theupstream portion of the interior 101. As further shown in the graph 139of FIG. 1B, as the air flow 107 removes heat from upstreamheat-producing components 122, the temperature 140 of the air flow 107rises, so that the temperature of the air flow 107 at a location “X1”along the distance 142 through the interior 101, where X1 is a locationin the interior 101 that is downstream of the upstream heat-producingcomponents 122, is at a temperature 152 that is elevated over theinitial temperature 145 of the air flow 107. The rise in temperature canbe due to the air flow 107 removing heat from upstream heat-producingcomponents 122.

As the air flow 107 passes further through the depth of the interior 101towards exhaust end 190, the air flow 107 flows in heat transfercommunication with various downstream heat-producing components 124installed in the interior 101, and can therefore remove heat fromvarious downstream heat-producing components 124. As a result, as shownin FIG. 1B, the temperature of the air flow 107 continues to increase asit passes across the heat-producing components 124, to temperature 154at location “X2” and to temperature 156 at location “X3” downstream ofthe heat-producing components 125 proximate to the exhaust end 190.

Such a temperature pattern of air flow 107 as it passes in heat transfercommunication with successive sets of components 122, 124, 125 ininterior 101 may be referred to as “preheating” of the air flow 107 withrespect to the downstream components 124, 125. Because the air flow 107which passes in heat transfer communication with the downstreamcomponents 124, 125 has already removed heat from upstream components122, the capacity of the air flow 107 to remove heat from downstreamcomponents 124, 125 is reduced, relative to the capacity of the air flow107 to remove heat from upstream components 122. Such preheating of airflow 107, as shown in FIG. 1A-B, can negatively affect performance ofsuch downstream components 124, 125, as they receive reduced coolingrelative to upstream components 122.

In some embodiments, air flow through a computer system is controlled tobe optimized against the maximum operating temperatures of thecomponents installed therein. Optimized airflow can include an airflowthat maintains an operating temperature of some or all of the componentsinstalled in the computer system approximately at their maximumoperating temperatures. As a result, a given component receives asufficient airflow at a sufficiently low temperature to avoid thermaldamage, without expending excess airflow across other components.

However, where components are installed in a downstream portion of acomputer system, so that a cooling air flow 107 which passes in heattransfer communication with the components is preheated by upstreamcomponents, excess airflow may be supplied through the computer systemto ensure that the downstream heat-producing components do not incurdamage. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1B, for example, whilejust enough air flow 107 is supplied through the interior 101 tomaintain the operating temperature 156 of the exhaust end-proximatedownstream components 125 with a minimal margin 166 beneath the maximumoperating temperature 146, the upstream components 122 operate at atemperature 152 that is significantly less than the maximum operatingtemperature 146, as shown by margin 162. Such a significant temperaturemargin 162 indicates that excess air is being passed in heat transfercommunication with the upstream components 122 in order to ensure thatthe downstream components 125 receive sufficient cooling.

In some embodiments, one or more sets of components 122, 124, 125 incomputer system 100 comprise hot-pluggable electronic components,including one or more hot-pluggable mass storage devices. Suchhot-pluggable electronic components may be included in upstreamcomponents 122, to enable access to the components 122 for hot swappingvia the inlet end 180. Based at least in part upon the arrangement ofcomponents 122, 124, 125 in the interior 101, which may be anarrangement of components which optimizes component density, hotswapping of components 124 which are not proximate to one or more ofinlet end 180 or exhaust end 190 may be complicated by insufficientinterior space in which to maneuver a component during hot swappingoperations. Furthermore, as noted above, a component mounted in theinterior 101, remote from the separate inlet and exhaust ends 180, 190may receive suboptimal cooling by preheated cooling air flows 107through the interior 101.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes separate sets of heat-producingcomponents, each arranged in a staggered configuration, to establishside inlet air plenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and airpassages which direct separate portions of cooling air from a giveninlet air plenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separateportion of the components, according to some embodiments.

Computer system 200 includes a chassis 208, including base element (alsoreferred to herein as “base plate”) 210 at a bottom end of the chassis208, side elements (also referred to herein as “side plates”) 211 onside ends of the chassis 208, and inlet element (also referred to hereinas “inlet plate”) 212 at an inlet end 280 of the chassis 208, that atleast partially encompasses a chassis interior 201. Computer system 200also includes two separate sets 220A-B of components 222A-F, 222G-L,where each set 220A-B is installed in a particular configuration in thechassis interior 201. Each set 220A-B includes a configuration ofcomponents 222A-F, 222G-L which are arranged in varied physicaldistances (also referred to herein as “offsets”) from a cross-sectionalplane through the depth of the chassis interior 201, from the inlet end280 to the exhaust end 290. The chassis interior 201 includes separateair plenums 230A-B, 232 and separate sets of air passages 240A-F, 240G-Lwhich enable air flow between separate air plenums to remove heat fromvarious components 222A-F, 222G-L in the separate sets 220A-B. Each setof components 222A-F, 222G-L can each include one or more heat-producingcomponents. Components 222A-F, 222G-L can include one or more electroniccomponents, including one or more mass storage devices, processors, etc.One or more of components 222A-F, 222G-L can include one or morehot-pluggable electronic components.

In some embodiments, one or more sets of components are arranged in achassis interior to establish separate air plenums, and air passagesthere between, in the chassis, where each of the air passages isconfigured to direct a portion of an airflow through one air plenum toflow, at least partially in parallel with a base element of the chassis,in heat transfer communication with a portion of the one or more sets ofcomponents and into another air plenum, where one or more of the airplenums are at least partially bounded by separate portions of the baseelement. In some embodiments, each portion of the airflow can bedirected to flow in heat transfer communication with separate portionsof a set of components, so that each portion of airflow which removesheat from a given one or more components, in a set of components, isprecluded from being preheated by another one or more components in theset. In some embodiments, one or more air passages, air plenums, etc. isat least partially established based at least in part upon on or moresupport structures coupled to the base element of the chassis and uponwhich one or more components in a set of components are mounted toarrange the components in one or more particular configurations in thechassis interior.

In the illustrated embodiment, computer system 200 includes two separatesets 220A-B of components which are coupled to the base element 210 ofthe chassis 208 via one or more support structures 260 coupled to thebase element 210 of the chassis 208. The arrangement of each separateset 220A-B of components 222A-F, 222G-L establishes a separate airplenum 230A-B proximate to opposite side ends of the chassis interior201, so that each separate air plenum 230A-B is at least partiallyestablished by a separate set 220 of components 222, a separate sideportion of the base element 210, and a separate side element 211. Inaddition, while each separate set 220A-B of components establishes aseparate air plenum 230A-B on one side of the respective set 220A-B, theseparate sets 220A-B each establish separate sides of a common airplenum 232 which is distal from the side ends of the chassis 208 and isbounded by a central portion of the base element 210.

In some embodiments, the various air plenums 230A-B, 232 established bythe arrangement of the sets 220A-B of components include one or moreseparate inlet air plenums and exhaust air plenums. Cooling air can bereceived into each inlet air plenum via one or more separate inlet airvents, and separate portions of the cooling air flowing through a giveninlet air plenum can be directed, via separate air passages at leastpartially established by one or more sets of components, to flow in heattransfer communication with separate portions of the one or more sets ofcomponents and into one or more exhaust air plenums in the chassisinterior to remove heat from the one or more sets of components.

In the illustrated embodiment, air plenums 230A-B are inlet air plenumswhich are each in flow communication with separate inlet air vents214A-B in the inlet element 212 at the inlet end 280 of the chassis 208.Separate cooling air flows 207A-B are received into the separate inletair plenums 230A-B via the separate inlet air vents 214A-B. Eachseparate set 220A-B of components 222 includes multiple separate airpassages 240A-F, 240G-L between a separate respective inlet air plenum230A-B and the exhaust air plenum 232. In some embodiments, eachseparate air passage 240 directs a separate portion of cooling air 207flowing through a proximate inlet air plenum 230A-B to flow, in parallelwith base element 210, in heat transfer communication with a separatecomponent 222 to remove heat from that respective separate component. Asa result, preheating of cooling air flows across each separate component222 can be at least partially or fully mitigated. In the illustratedembodiment, air passages 240 directing air to flow in parallel with thebase element 210 direct air air to flow laterally between a given inletair plenum 230 and exhaust air plenum 232. In some embodiments, wherebase element 210 extends through a vertical plane, each separate set ofair passages 240A-F, 240G-L directs air to flow at least partially inopposite vertical directions in parallel with the base element 210. Insome embodiments, multiple separate air passages 240 extend in heattransfer communication with a common portion of components 222 in a set220. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a top air passage 240may extend over a top surface of component 222B and a bottom air passage240 may extend between a bottom surface of component 222B and a portionof base element 210, where the top air passage 240 may additionally flowin heat transfer communication with the top surface of component 222Cwhile the bottom air passage 240 is substantially restricted (i.e.,restricted within the manufacturing and material tolerances of variouselements establishing the air passage) to flow in heat transfercommunication exclusively with component 222B. a bottom air passage 240may be established based at least in part upon a bottom surface of agiven component 222, a portion of the base element 210, and one or moresupport structures 260 to which the given component 222 is coupled.

The various air passages 240 can enable the various separate portions ofcooling air 207A-B flowing through a respective inlet air plenum 230A-Bto flow, in parallel with the base element 210, into a common exhaustair plenum 232 and pass out of the chassis interior 201 as exhaust airflow 209, via the exhaust end 290 of the chassis 208. The exhaust end290 may not be encompassed by a portion of the chassis, as shown in theillustrated embodiment.

In some embodiments, computer system 200 includes a common inlet airplenum, distal from side ends of the chassis 208, from which separateportions of a cooling air flow through the inlet air plenum are directedinto one of separate exhaust air plenums via separate sets of airpassages which each flow in heat transfer communication with separateportions of one or more separate sets of components which establish sideboundaries of the common inlet air plenum. For example, the illustratedcomputer system 200 may be reversed, such that end 290 is the inlet end,end 280 is the exhaust end, element 212 is at the inlet end 290 insteadof the exhaust end 280, air plenum 232 is an inlet air plenum, airplenum 230A-B are separate exhaust air plenums, the illustrated air flowlines are the reverse of the illustrated flow lines in FIG. 2, and theair passages 240 each direct separate portions of air flow from plenum232 to a separate one of the plenums 230A-B.

In some embodiments, one or more air passages which flow in heattransfer communication with one or more heat-producing componentsbetween separate air plenums in a chassis interior are establishedbetween adjacent side ends of components coupled to the chassis via oneor more support structures. In the illustrated embodiment, each gap 250between adjacent components 222 can include an air passage between arespective inlet air plenum 230A-B and exhaust plenum 232.

In some embodiments, each set of components in a chassis interior isarranged in a particular configuration which establishes a variablecross-sectional flow area of one or more air plenums in the chassisinterior. For example, one or more sets of components can include anarrangement of components which In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2,each separate set 220A-B of components 222 is arranged in a staggeredconfiguration, where components 222F, 222L in sets 220A-B which areproximate to exhaust end 290 are also each proximate to a separate sideelement 211 of the chassis 208, relative to components 222A, 222G in thesame respective set 220A-B which are proximate to the inlet end 280. Insome embodiments, the arrangement of components 222 in one or more sets220A-B of components at least partially establishes an air plenum whichprogressively decreases in flow area, in a direction that is in parallelto the base element 210, from the inlet end 280 towards the exhaust end290, also referred to herein as narrowing of the air plenum, at leastpartially establishes an air plenum which progressively increases inflow area, in a direction that is in parallel to the base element 210,from the inlet end towards the exhaust end 290, also referred to hereinas widening of the air plenum, etc.

In some embodiments, variable flow areas in an air plenum, throughoutthe depth of the chassis interior, can at least partially impede airflow through the separate air passages 240 which are in flowcommunication with the respective air plenum. For example, where theflow area of the respective inlet air plenums 230A-B progressivelynarrows from the inlet end 280 toward the exhaust end 290, the flowdirection of cooling air through the respective inlet air plenums 230A-Btowards the exhaust end 290 is progressively impeded. Such progressiveimpedance of air flow through an air plenum can be based at least inpart upon one or more of the arrangement of components 222, supportstructures 260, etc. which at least partially establish the boundariesof the air plenum.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes separate sets of heat-producing components, eacharranged in a staggered configuration, to establish side inlet airplenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and partitioned air passageswhich direct separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet airplenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion ofthe components, according to some embodiments.

Computer system 300 includes separate sets 320A-B of components 322A-F,322G-L mounted in the interior of chassis 308 in separate arrangementswhich establish separate air plenums 330A-B, 332 in the chassis interiorand separate sets of air passages 340 across separate portions of theseparate sets 320A-B, 320G-L of components. As shown, each separate airpassage 340 directs a separate portion of a separate cooling air flow307A-B through a proximate inlet air plenum 330A-B to flow in heattransfer communication with a separate portion of components 322 of agiven set 320 of components. In some embodiments, each air passage 340directs a separate portion of air to flow at least partially in parallelwith a base element, to which the one or more components 322A-L arecoupled, of chassis 308.

In some embodiments, each air passage 340 is at least partiallyestablished by one or more divider elements 376 which establish slots352 in the chassis 308 in which separate components 322 are mounted.Dividers 376 can be coupled to a chassis 308, directly, via coupling toone or more support structures in the chassis 308, some combinationthereof, or the like. A given divider 376 can be configured to belocated within a gap space 350 between adjacent components 322 mountedin the chassis interior. As a result, the divider 376 can both align twoor more components 322 mounted in the chassis interior and partitionseparate air passages 340, so that air passing through a given airpassage 340 is restricted from flowing at least partially into anotherair passage. As a result, removing heat from a given component 322 withair which has been preheated through heat removal from another component322 in the same set 320 can be at least partially mitigated.

In some embodiments, where one or more air passages progressively narrowfrom an inlet end to an exhaust end of the chassis, the air passagesprogressively impede an airflow through the air passages from the inletend towards the exhaust end. Airflow may be progressively impededcorresponding to changes in cross-sectional flow area of the airpassages. For example, where air plenums 330A-B progressively narrowfrom inlet end 380 towards exhaust end 390, the airflow 307A-B througheach separate plenum 330A-B may become progressively more impeded, alsoreferred to as being progressively impeded, as the cross sectional flowarea of the respective plenum 330A-B decreases along its length betweenends 380 and 390. Progressive impedance of flow through a plenum 330A-Bat each change in cross sectional area can divert at least a portion ofthe airflow 307A-B in the respective plenum 330A-B to be supplied out ofthe plenum 330A-B into at least one air passage 340 extending in heattransfer communication with at least one component 322 mounted in thechassis 308. The increased impedance may create a pressure gradient thatdiverts air through passages 340 with reduced relative impedancerelative to the plenum 330A-B at the point of increased impedance.

In some embodiments, progressively increased impedance of airflowthrough one or more of the inlet air plenums 330A-B can enable airflowrates out of the respective plenum 330A-B through each of the airpassages 340 extending across one or more components 322, as illustratedin FIG. 3, to maintain one or more flow properties without one or morepredetermined tolerance ranges. For example, progressively impeding flowthrough a given inlet air plenum 330A-B can enable airflow out of therespective plenum 330A-B and across a component 322 proximate to theexhaust end 390 to have an airflow velocity, air mass flow rate, airvolumetric flow rate, etc. that is similar to a corresponding flowcharacteristic of airflow out of the same plenum 330A-B at a relativelyless impeded location in the plenum 330A-B and across another component322 proximate to the inlet end 380.

In some embodiments, where the progressive narrowing of one or more airplenums 330A-B is established based at least in part upon the staggeredconfiguration of the components 322A-F, 322G-L in one or more sets320A-B of components, the components may be mounted to the chassis 308in a staggered configuration that establishes one or more of separateinlet air plenums 330A-B that progressively narrow such that airflow 307through the given plenum 330 is progressively impeded along the depth ofthe chassis 308, between ends 380 and 390, in the direction of coolingair flow 307 and maintains one or more airflow characteristics thatexceed one or more predetermined threshold values of the flowcharacteristics.

In some embodiments, a computer system includes one or more baffleelements which span between one end of a set of components and aproximate end of the chassis to at least partially partition separateportions of the chassis interior into separate air plenums. As shown inFIG. 3, a set 320 of components 322 extends through a depth of thechassis interior and through another dimension which is orthogonal tothe depth of the chassis interior and can include one or more of a widthor height of the chassis interior. Each set 3420 of components 322 isseparate from physical contact with any of the side ends, inlet end 380,exhaust end 390, etc. baffle elements 372A-B, which each span between aninlet-proximate end of a separate set 320A-B and the inlet end 380 ofthe chassis 308, and baffle elements 374A-B, which each span between anexhaust-proximate end of a separate set 320A-B and the exhaust end 390of the chassis 308, partition the portions of the chassis interior whichare not partitioned by the sets 320A-B of components 322 into separateair plenums 330A-B, 332. Such partitioning precludes portions of thecooling air flows 307A-B into the respective inlet air plenums 330A-B,via respective inlet air vents 314A-B, from bypassing the components322A-L and flowing directly into exhaust plenum 332 via gaps between thesets 320A-B and the ends of the chassis at either the inlet end 380 orthe exhaust end 390. As a result, an entirety of exhaust air 309 whichcan exit the chassis 308 via one or more exhaust vents 319 at exhaustend 390 has removed heat from one or more of components 322A-L mountedin the chassis 308.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 300 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes support structures coupled to the computersystem chassis in arrangements to enable heat-producing components to beinstalled in staggered configurations to establish various air plenumsand air passages in the interior, according to some embodiments.

Computer system 400 includes a chassis 408 which at least partiallyencompasses a chassis interior 401, in which separate sets 410A-B ofsupport structures 412 are coupled to a base element 417 of the chassis408 in one or more separate configurations. In some embodiments, a set410 of support structures 412 comprises a single backplane structure towhich multiple heat-producing components can be coupled to establish aset of such components in the chassis interior 401. In the illustratedembodiment, each set 410 of components comprises a set of multipleseparate support structures 412 which are each configured to be coupledto by a portion of one or more heat-producing components, so that agiven set 410 of support structures 412 are configured to be coupled toby a set of components 422.

In some embodiments, each set of support structures is coupled to achassis in a particular arrangement which is configured to arrange a setof heat-producing components coupled to the support structures in aparticular configuration which establishes one or more air plenums, airpassages, etc. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, each separateset 410 of support structures is coupled to the base element 417 of thechassis 408 in a staggered configuration which configures the respectiveset 410 of support structures 412 to arrange a set of components 422coupled to the set of support structures in a staggered configuration inthe chassis interior 401.

Support structures can include one or more various types of supportstructures. As noted above, a set of support structures can include abackplane to which one or more heat-producing components 422 can becoupled. Such a backplane can include a horizontally-oriented backplaneupon which one or more components 422 can be mounted, avertically-oriented backplane to which one or more components can becoupled, etc. in the illustrated embodiment, each support structure 412comprises a central raised portion which projects away from the baseelement 410 of the chassis 408 to which separate edge portions arephysically coupled. “Keyhole” slots 414 in the central raised portionare configured to receive one or more coupling elements projecting fromone or more components 422 to couple the one or more components 422 tothe one or more support structures 412 via the keyhole slots 414. Insome embodiments, coupling a component 422 with a support structure 412via a keyhole slot 414 includes inserting a coupling element of thecomponent 422 into a wide portion of the keyhole slot 414 and slidingthe component 422 so that the coupling portion couples with a narrowingportion of the keyhole slot 414. In some embodiments, a pin structurecan be inserted through a component 422 to couple with a keyhole slot414 of a support structure 412 to couple the component 422 to thesupport structure 412.

In some embodiments, a set 410A-B of support structures 412 isconfigured to at least partially establish one or more air passagesbetween separate portions of the chassis interior 401, includingseparate air plenums 430A-B, 432. Where a set 410 of support structuresincludes multiple separate support structures 412, the separate supportstructures 412 can be coupled to the base element 417 of a chassis 408in a spaced arrangement which establishes one or more gaps 440 betweenseparate support structures 412 in a given set 410. As shown with regardto components 422A-B, where the support structures 412 each include araised portion which projects away from the base element 417 of thechassis interior 401, coupling one or more components 422A-B to theraised portions of the support structures 412 can establish separateupper boundaries of separate air passages through the separate gaps 440between separate support structures 412.

In some embodiments, one or more support structures are configured to becoupled to by one or more heat-producing components in a particularconfiguration which arranges the components to face respective interfaceports towards a common portion of the chassis interior which is includedin a common air plenum. Interface ports of a given component can includeone or more electrical power interface ports, communication interfaceport, etc. A common portion of the chassis interior can include a commonexhaust air plenum into which separate portions of cooling air aredirected from separate inlet air plenums, via separate air passageswhich are in heat transfer communication with separate heat-producingcomponents. In the illustrated embodiment, each of components 422 arecoupled to various support structures 412 in arrangements which face oneor more interfaces 472 of the separate components 422A-H toward aportion of the chassis interior 401 which is included in an exhaustplenum 432 established at least partially by the coupled components422A-H. As a result, communication pathways, electrical pathways, etc.can be routed to each of the coupled components 422A-H, from an externalsource, through the common established air plenum 432 to which thevarious interfaces 472 face. In some embodiments, the various pathwayscomprise one or more instances of cabling, where each separate instanceof cabling couples a separate component 422 to an external source, whichcan include an external power source, and external computer system,instance of processing circuitry, communication network, etc.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 400 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes a set of heat-producing components arranged in astaggered configuration through the depth of the computer system toestablish a separate inlet air plenum and exhaust air plenum through thedepth of the computer system interior, and air passages which directseparate portions of cooling air from the inlet air plenum to flow inheat transfer communication with a separate portion of the components,according to some embodiments.

Computer system 500 includes a chassis 508, having an inlet end 580 andan exhaust end 590, which at least partially encompasses a chassisinterior 501. In some embodiments, the chassis 508 includes side endswhich extend between the inlet end 580 and exhaust end 590. One or moreof the ends of the chassis can be encompassed by one or more chassiselements. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, chassis 508includes a base element encompassing a bottom end of the chassisinterior 501, and an inlet element at least partially encompassing theinlet end 580 of the chassis interior 501, where the inlet elementincludes one or more inlet vents 514 which enable cooling air flow 507into the chassis interior 501 from an external environment via the inletend 580. In some embodiments, the side ends of the chassis 508 are notencompassed by one or more elements. Furthermore, as shown in theillustrated embodiment, the exhaust end 590 is at least partiallyunencompassed by any elements.

Computer system 500 includes a set 520 of components 522A-E installed inthe chassis 508. The components 522A-E can be coupled to one or moresupport structures coupled to the chassis to at least partially installthe components 522A-E in the chassis. One or more of components 522 caninclude one or more various electronic components, including one or moremass storage devices, instances of processor circuitry, etc. One or moreof components 522A-E can include one or more hot-pluggable electroniccomponents, including one or more hot-pluggable hard disk drives.Support structures can include one or more backplane structures.

As shown, a set 520 of components 522 can be installed in the chassis508 in a particular arrangement. As a result, the installed components522A-E establish one or more air plenums 530, 532 in the chassisinterior and one or more air passages 540A-E between the separate airplenums, where each separate air passage 540A-E extends, at leastpartially parallel to a base element of chassis 508, in heat transfercommunication with at least a separate corresponding component 522A-Ebetween the separate air plenums 530, 532 at separate locations throughthe depth of the chassis interior 501 between the inlet end 580 and theexhaust end 590.

The arrangement of the components 522 at least partially establishes ashape of the air plenums 530, 532 in the chassis interior 501, includingvarious cross-sectional flow areas of each air plenum at variousdistances through the depth of the chassis interior 501 between theinlet end 580 and the exhaust end 590. In some embodiments, anarrangement of components 522 in a set of components 520 extends throughtwo separate dimensions in the chassis interior. For example, a set ofcomponents can be arranged in a configuration which extends through botha first dimension and a second dimension that is orthogonal to the firstdimension, where both the first and second dimension extend in parallelto a base element of the chassis 508. In the illustrated embodiment, theset 520 of components 522A-E extends through both a first dimension, thedepth of the chassis interior between the inlet end 580 and the exhaustend 590, and through a second dimension between opposite side ends ofthe chassis interior 501. In the illustrated embodiment, the seconddimension is a width of the chassis interior 501.

In some embodiments, where the base element extends through a verticalplane, the second dimension is a height of the chassis interior 501between and top end and a bottom end of the chassis interior. Theillustrated set 520 of components is arranged in a staggeredconfiguration, wherein the components 522A-E are progressively offset,in a direction which is parallel to the base element of the chassis 508,from one or more of the side ends of the chassis 508 throughout thedepth of the chassis interior. As a result of the staggeredconfiguration of the set 520 of components 522, the cross-sectional flowareas of both air plenums 530, 532 progressively change, in a directionwhich is parallel to the base element, throughout the depth of thechassis interior 501. Changes in one or more of cross-sectional flowarea of one or more air plenums, offsets of a set of componentsinstalled in the chassis interior, etc. can be continuous, step-changed,some combination thereof, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment,for example, both the cross-sectional flow areas of the air plenums 530,532 and the offsets of the set 520 of components 522 from one or moreside ends of chassis 508 progressively change in discrete step-changesthroughout the depth of the chassis interior 501.

Air plenum 530, as shown in FIG. 5, is an inlet air plenum 530 which isin flow communication with the inlet end 580 and is configured toreceive cooling air 507 from an external environment via an inlet airvent 514 at the inlet end 580.

In some embodiments, one or more air plenums, air passages, etc. in achassis interior is at least partially established based at least inpart upon one or more baffle elements coupled to the chassis, where thebaffle elements at least partially partition the chassis interior intoseparate regions. One or more baffle elements may be used, incombination with one or more sets of support structures coupled to thechassis, one or more sets of components installed in the chassis, etc.to establish various air plenums, air passages, etc.

In some embodiments, one or more air passages 540 are established in agap 550 between adjacent components 522 installed in the chassisinterior 501. Such air passages 540 can enable cooling air to flow frominlet air plenum 530 to exhaust air plenum 532 in heat transfercommunication with the adjacent components 522. In some embodiments, adivider is located in the gap 550, where the divider at least partiallyrestricts airflow between the adjacent components. As a result, separateair flows from plenum 530, through each of the separate passages 540A-E,can be restricted from mixing upstream of plenum 532 based at least inpart upon dividers between the corresponding components 522. Thedividers can align and support one or more components 522 in the chassisinterior 501. One or more dividers can be coupled directly to thechassis. One or more dividers can be coupled to a support structurewhich is coupled to the chassis.

In some embodiments, a baffle element completes a partitioning of achassis interior into separate air plenums, where the partitioning is atleast partially established by a set of heat-producing components whichextend through an interior portion of the chassis interior, bypartitioning gaps at edge portions of the chassis interior between theset of components and one or more sides of the chassis. In theillustrated embodiment, for example, computer systems 500 includesbaffle element 572 and baffle element 574 which collectively complete apartitioning of chassis interior 501 into separate air plenums 530, 532and air passages 540A-E across a set 520 of components 522A-E. Baffleelement 572 completes a partitioning of the chassis interior 501proximate to the inlet end 580 by spanning a gap between theinlet-proximate component 522A and a side end of chassis 508, and baffleelement 574 completes a partitioning of the chassis interior 501proximate to the exhaust end by spanning a gap between theexhaust-proximate component 522E and another side end of chassis 508.Each baffle element at least partially partitions the respective gapacross which it spans. As a result, cooling air 507 flowing throughinlet air plenum 530, through air passages 540A-E, and through airplenum 532 as exhaust air 509 is at least partially restricted frombypassing the air passages 540, and thus heat removal from one or moreof components 522A-E, by passing through either gap.

In some embodiments, a chassis includes an air vent flow control elementconfigured to adjust the flow rate of cooling air into the chassisinterior, based at least in part upon adjustment of a flow controlelement to adjust the flow area of an inlet air vent included in thechassis. In the illustrated embodiment, for example, chassis 508includes a flow control element 582 which is configured to adjustablyobscure portions of the inlet air vent 514 to adjust the cross-sectionalflow area of the air vent 514. Adjustably obscuring portions of theinlet air vent 514 can include adjusting the position of the flowcontrol element 582 relative to the vent 514. The flow control element582 can be a sliding plate which can be slidingly adjusted, relative tothe vent 514, to adjustably obscure portions of the inlet air vent 514.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 500 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that includes separate sets of heat-producingcomponents, each arranged in an angled configuration to establish sideinlet air plenums and a central exhaust air plenum, and air passageswhich direct separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet airplenum to flow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion ofthe components, according to some embodiments.

Computer system 600 includes a chassis 608, comprising a base element610, side elements 611A-B, and inlet element 612, which at leastpartially encompass a chassis interior 601 in which multiple sets 620A-Bof components 622A-H are installed in various separate arrangements toestablish separate air plenums 630A-B and air passages 640A-D, 640E-H inthe chassis interior 601. As shown, each separate air passage 640directs a separate portion of cooling air flow 607A-B through aproximate inlet air plenum 630A-B to flow in heat transfer communicationwith a separate set of one or more components 622 of a given set 620A-Bof components.

Each set 620A-B includes a configuration of components 622A-D or 622E-Hwhich are arranged in varied offsets from the direction of the depth ofthe chassis interior 601, from the inlet end 680 to the exhaust end 690,throughout the depth of the chassis interior 601. The chassis interior601 includes separate air plenums 630A-B, 632 and separate air passages640A-D, 640E-H which enable air flow between separate air plenums toremove heat from various components 622A-H in the separate sets 620A-B.Components 622A-H can each include one or more heat-producingcomponents. Components 622A-H can include one or more electroniccomponents, including one or more mass storage devices, processors, etc.One or more of components 622A-H can include one or more hot-pluggableelectronic components.

In the illustrated embodiment, air plenums 630A-B are inlet air plenumswhich are each in flow communication with separate inlet air vents614A-B in the inlet element 612 at the inlet end 680 of the chassis 608.Separate cooling air flows 607A-B are received into the separate inletair plenums 630A-B via the separate inlet air vents 614A-B. Eachseparate set 620A-B of components 622 includes multiple separate airpassages 640 between a separate respective inlet air plenum 630 and theexhaust air plenum 632. In some embodiments, each separate air passage640 directs a separate portion of cooling air 607A-B flowing through aproximate inlet air plenum 630A-B to flow in heat transfer communicationwith a separate component 622 to remove heat from that respectiveseparate component and flow into air plenum 632. As a result, preheatingof cooling air flows across each separate component 622 can be at leastpartially or fully mitigated. The various air passages 640 enable thevarious separate portions of cooling air 607A-B flowing through arespective inlet air plenum 630A-B to flow into a common exhaust airplenum 632 and pass out of the chassis interior 601, as exhaust air flow609, via the exhaust end 690 of the chassis 608. The exhaust end 690, insome embodiments, is not encompassed by a portion of the chassis 608, asshown in the illustrated embodiment.

In some embodiments, each set of components in a chassis interior isarranged in a particular configuration which establishes a variablecross-sectional flow area of one or more air plenums in the chassisinterior. For example, one or more sets of components 620A-B can eachinclude an arrangement of components in an angled row configuration,where the respective row of components in the respective set 620A-B isangled, according to a respective angle 670A-B, relative to a firstdirection 672 through the chassis interior, where the first direction672 can be the depth of the chassis interior. As a result, each set ofcomponents 620A-B extends through both a first direction 672 and anorthogonal second direction 673 through the chassis interior 601. In theillustrated embodiment of FIG. 6, each separate set 620A-B of components622 is arranged in an angled row configuration, where component 622D inset 620A and component 622H in set 620B which are each proximate toexhaust end 290, are also each proximate to a separate side end 611A-Bof the chassis 608, relative to component 622A in set 620A and component622E in set 620B, which are each proximate to inlet end 280, are alsoeach distal to the respective separate side end 611A-B of the chassis608. In some embodiments, the angled row configuration of components 622in one or more sets 620A-B of components at least partially establishesone or more air plenums which progressively decrease in flow area fromthe inlet end 680 towards the exhaust end 690, also referred to asnarrowing of the air plenum, at least partially establishes an airplenum which progressively increases in flow area from the inlet endtowards the exhaust end 690, also referred to as widening of the airplenum, etc.

In some embodiments, variable flow areas in an air plenum, throughoutthe depth of the chassis interior, can at least partially induce airflow through the separate air passages which are in flow communicationwith the respective air plenum. For example, where the flow area of therespective inlet air plenums 630A-B progressively narrows from the inletend 680 toward the exhaust end 690, the flow direction of cooling airthrough the respective inlet air plenums 630A-B towards the exhaust end690 is progressively impeded. In FIG. 6, the flow area through each ofair plenums 630A-B, 632 changes continuously along the depth of thechassis interior 601 through which the sets 620A-B of components extend,based at least in part upon the angled row configuration of the sets ofcomponents. Such progressive impedance of air flow through an air plenumcan be based at least in part upon one or more of the arrangement ofcomponents 622, support structures to which the components 622 arecoupled, etc. which at least partially establish the boundaries of theair plenum. In some embodiments, including embodiments where the sets ofcomponents include components arranged in one or more staggeredconfigurations, the flow area of one or more air plenums can vary bydiscrete step-changes in flow area through the depth of the chassisinterior.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 600 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a top view of a computersystem that includes separate sets of heat-producing components, eacharranged in an angled configuration, to establish side inlet air plenumsand a central exhaust air plenum, and partitioned air passages whichdirect separate portions of cooling air from a given inlet air plenum toflow in heat transfer communication with a separate portion of thecomponents, according to some embodiments.

Computer system 700 includes separate sets 720A-B of components 722A-D,722E-H mounted in the interior of chassis 708 in separate configures,which extend through both a first direction 782 and an orthogonal seconddirection 783 that both extend in parallel to the base element 710 ofthe chassis 708, and which establish separate air plenums 730A-B, 732 inthe chassis interior and separate sets of air passages 740 acrossseparate portions of the separate sets 720A-B of components. As shown,each separate air passage 740A-D, 740E-H directs a separate portion ofone of cooling air flow 707A-B through a proximate inlet air plenum730A-B to flow in heat transfer communication with a separate one ormore components 722A-D, 722E-H of a particular set 720A-B of components.As referred to herein, an air passage which directs a portion of acooling air flow to flow in heat transfer communication with a separateset of one or more components may be understood to be an air passagewhich “corresponds” to the one or more components. Similarly, the one ormore components may be understood to “correspond” to the air passage.Such correspondence of an air passage and one or more components can bebased at least in part upon the air passage directing a portion of anair flow to flow in heat transfer communication with the one or morecomponents, independently of other components in the same set ofcomponents.

In some embodiments, an air passage corresponds to a particularcomponent, so that the air passage directs a portion of air flow toremove heat exclusively from the corresponding particular component. Forexample, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 7, air passage 740A cancorrespond to component 722A, where passage 740A is configured to directa portion of cooling air flow 707A from plenum 730A to flow, in parallelwith base element 710 of chassis 708 and in heat transfer communicationwith component 722A, independently of components 722B-D. In someembodiments, each air passage is at least partially established by oneor more portions of a support structure to which one or more componentsare coupled, one or more divider elements which establish mountingpositions in the chassis 708 in which separate components 722 areinstalled, etc.

In some embodiments, where one or more air plenums progressively narrowfrom an inlet end towards an exhaust end of the chassis, the air plenumsprogressively impede an airflow through the air plenum from the inletend towards the exhaust end. Airflow may be progressively impededcorresponding to changes in cross-sectional flow area of the airplenums. For example, where air plenums 730A-B progressively narrow frominlet end 780 towards exhaust end 790, the airflow 707A-B through eachseparate plenum 730A-B may become progressively more impeded, alsoreferred to as being progressively impeded, as the cross sectional flowarea of the respective plenum 730A-B decreases along its length in thefirst direction 782. Progressive impedance of flow through a plenum730A-B at each change in cross sectional area can divert at least aportion of the airflow 707A-B in the respective plenum 730A-B to besupplied out of the plenum 730A-B into at least one air passage 740A-Hextending in heat transfer communication with at least one component722A-H mounted in the chassis 708, in parallel with base element 710.The increased impedance may create a pressure gradient that diverts airthrough passages 740 with reduced relative impedance relative to theplenum 730A-B at the point of increased impedance.

In some embodiments, where the progressive narrowing of one or more airplenums 730A-B is established based at least in part upon the angled rowconfiguration of the components 722A-H in the respective sets 720A-B ofcomponents, the components may be coupled to the chassis 708 in anangled row configuration that establishes inlet air plenums 730A-B thateach progressively narrow such that airflow 707A-B through therespective plenum 730 is progressively impeded along the depth of thechassis 708 in the direction of cooling air flow and maintains one ormore airflow characteristics that exceed one or more predeterminedthreshold values of the flow characteristics.

In some embodiments, a computer system includes one or more baffleelements which span between one end of a set of components and aproximate end of the chassis to at least partially partition separateportions of the chassis interior into separate air plenums. As shown inFIG. 7, a given set 720 of components 722 extends through a depth of thechassis interior and through another dimension which is orthogonal tothe depth of the chassis interior and can include one or more of a widthor height of the chassis interior. Each set 720 of components 722 isseparate from physical contact with any of the side ends, inlet end 780,exhaust end 790, etc. (i.e., “physically separate”). Baffle elements772A-B, which each span between an inlet-proximate end of a separate set720A-B and the inlet end 780 of the chassis 708, and baffle elements774A-B, which each span between an exhaust-proximate end of a separateset 720A-B and a side end of the chassis 708, partition the portions ofthe chassis interior which are not partitioned by the sets 720A-B ofcomponents 722 into separate air plenums 730A-B, 732. Such partitioningprecludes portions of the cooling air flows 707A-B into the respectiveinlet air plenums 730A-B via respective inlet air vents 714A-B frombypassing the components 722 and flowing directly into exhaust plenum732 via gaps between the sets 720A-B and the ends of the chassis 708 ateither the inlet end 780 or the exhaust end 790. As a result, anentirety of exhaust air 709, which can exit the chassis 708 via one ormore exhaust vents 719 at exhaust end 790, has removed heat from one ormore components 722 coupled to the chassis 708.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 700 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of a setof support structures to which a set of heat-producing components can bemounted to arrange the components in a particular configuration and atleast partially establish one or more air passages and air plenums in acomputer system interior, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, a particular arrangement of components, includingan arrangement of heat-producing components in a set of components,which is referred to interchangeably herein as a “configuration” of thecomponents, is established based at least in part upon coupling thevarious components to particular portions of one or more supportstructures, where the support structures are configured to be coupled toby the various components at various locations to establish anarrangement of the components.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 8A, a set of support structures802, 804, when coupled to a base element 801 of a chassis, establishmultiple slots 810 configured to accommodate separate heat-producingcomponents in a particular arrangement. In the illustrated embodiment,the set of support structures 802, 804 are coupled to the base element301 in a configuration which is configured to accommodate a set ofcomponents in a row configuration. It will be understood that, in someembodiments, one or more various configurations of components that aredifferent from a row configuration may be established. For example, aset of support structures can be configured to arrange a set ofcomponents coupled to the backplane in a staggered configuration, whichmay be based at least in part upon a staggered configuration of slots,coupling elements, etc. included in the backplane structure.

Support structures 802, 804 collectively establish the various slots 810in which one or more components 890 can be coupled. Base element 801 canbe included in various base chassis illustrated and discussed herein,including base element 210 of chassis 208 illustrated in FIG. 2. Edgesupport structures 804, located at edge portions of the set of supportstructures, include coupling mounts to which one or more heat-producingcomponents can be coupled via one or more various coupling systems. Forexample, each coupling mount can include one or more keyhole slots intowhich one or more structural elements can be inserted to couple acomponent 890 to the coupling mount. Central support structures 802,which are separate from the edge portions of the set, include couplingmounts 805 and dividers 808 coupled to the coupling mounts 805. As notedabove, one or more heat-producing components can be coupled, via one ormore various coupling systems, to each of the coupling mounts 805. Forexample, each coupling mount 805 can include a separate set of couplingpoints on opposite sides of the divider 808 of the respective supportstructure 802, so that separate components 890 can be coupled to thesame support structure 802 on opposite sides of the divider 808. In someembodiments, the divider 808 includes one or more coupling elementsconfigured to couple with one or more components 890 to couple thecomponents in one or more slots 810.

As shown, a slot 810 is established based at least in part upon two ormore support structures 802, 804 spanning at least a portion of thewidth of the base element 801 on opposite sides of a gap space 807. Aslot can be established as a space between coupling elements on theseparate support elements 802, 804 on opposite sides of a given gapspace 807. The gap space, in some embodiments, establishes a portion ofan air passage which is configured to direct a portion of an airflowalong one side of the support structure 800 to flow to another side ofthe base element 801 through the respective slot 810 in which the gapspace 807 is included, so that the directed portion of the air flow811A-B passes in heat transfer communication with a component 890coupled to the support structure 800 in the respective slot. In theillustrated embodiment, for example, a component 890, which can includeone or more heat-producing components, is coupled to support structure800 in one of the slots 810 established by two central supportstructures 802. The component 890 is coupled to separate coupling mounts805 of the separate support structures 802. Because, in the illustratedembodiment, the coupling mounts 805 project away from the base element,coupling component 890 to the coupling mounts 805 of the oppositesupport structures 802 establishes a bottom air passage 809A thatcomprises the respective gap space 807 of the slot 810 and a lowersurface of the component 890. The air passage 809A is configured todirect a bottom air flow 811A between the coupled component 890 and thebase element 801. In addition, because the air passage 809A is boundedon all sides between the opposite sides of the support structure 800,the air flow 811A directed through the air passage 809A flows in heattransfer communication with component 890 independently of any componentcoupled to any other slot 810 of support structure 800, thereby at leastpartially mitigating preheating of air flow 811A by other components 890which may be coupled in other slots 810.

In some embodiments, coupling a component 890 to one or more supportstructures 800 establishes multiple air passages which are in heattransfer communication with the component. In the illustratedembodiment, for example, in addition to the bottom air passage 809Bestablished between a lower surface of coupled component 890 and thebase element 801, coupling component 890 to support structures 802establishes a top air passage 809B at least partially bounded by anupper surface of component 890. The air passage, in some embodiments, isbounded on a top end by a top end of a chassis interior in which thesupport structure 800 is coupled to a chassis. Such a top end caninclude a bottom end of another chassis, a lid structure of the chassisto which the support structure is coupled, etc. In some embodiments, topair passage 809 is at least partially unbounded on side ends. Forexample, divider elements 808 in each support element 802 may not extendabove the upper surface of components 890. As a result, air flow 811Bdirected through air passage 809B may pass in heat transfercommunication with components 890 coupled in adjacent slots 810.

In some embodiments, some or all of support structures 802, 804 areincluded in one or more of the computer systems illustrated herein,including computer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of abackplane support structure to which a set of heat-producing componentscan be mounted to arrange the components in a particular configurationand at least partially establish one or more air passages and airplenums in a computer system interior, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, a particular arrangement of components, includingan arrangement of heat-producing components in a set of components,which is referred to interchangeably herein as a “configuration” of thecomponents, is established based at least in part upon coupling thevarious components to particular portions of one or more backplanesupport structures, where the support structures are configured to becoupled to by the various components at various locations to establishan arrangement of the components and to couple the components to one ormore power sources, external systems, etc.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 8B, a backplane 852 can be coupledto one or more portions of a chassis. A backplane can be coupled to achassis in a portion of the chassis interior which includes an airplenum. For example, the illustrated backplane 852 can be coupled to thebase element 417 of the chassis 408 illustrated in FIG. 4, in a portionof the chassis interior 401 which includes plenum 432. As a result, thebackplane 852 can be coupled to the chassis 408 so that the components422 coupled to the chassis are arranged to face respective interfaces472 towards the backplane 852.

As shown, backplane 852 includes backplane interfaces 854 on oppositesides of the backplane. Components 856 can be coupled to separatebackplane interfaces 854 via component interfaces 858. As shown, thecomponents 856 can be horizontally translated to and from a giveninterface 854 of the backplane to couple the component 856 to thebackplane interface 854.

In some embodiments, each interface 854 in a backplane 852 is coupled toone or more backplane interfaces 860 which are communicatively coupled,via one or more pathways 862, to one or more external systems, services,etc. In some embodiments, pathway 862 includes a power transmission linewhich electrically couples interface 860 with an external power supply.In some embodiments, pathway 862 includes a communication cablingconfigured to communicatively couple interface 860 with an externalsystem, including a remote instance of processor circuitry. Interface860 can be communicatively coupled, electrically coupled, etc. to eachof the interfaces 854 in the backplane 852, so that coupling a component856 with an interface 854 couples the component to the external service,system, etc. to which interface 860 is coupled via pathway 862.

In some embodiments, components 856 are coupled to a backplane 852 basedat least in part upon coupling the components with one or more supportstructures 864. Support structures can structurally support thecomponents, physically secure the components in a position to couplecomponent interfaces 858 with backplane interfaces 854, align components856 to align the respective interfaces 856, 854, etc. In the illustratedembodiments, the support structures 864 include a set of structures towhich a component 856 can be physically coupled, e.g., via keyhole slotconnections, to physically secure a component in a position whereinterface 858 of the component 856 is connected with a correspondinginterface 854 of the backplane 852. As shown, each support structure 864establishes at least a portion of a boundary of a slot 866 associatedwith a given backplane interface 854. A component 856 can be inserted ina given slot 866 and coupled, aligned, guided, etc. by the supportstructures 864 bounding a slot 866 to enable an interface 858 of thecomponent 856 to be coupled with an interface 854 corresponding to thegiven slot 866.

Various types of support structures can be used to couple a componentwith a backplane interface. In some embodiments, a support structureincludes connectors which connect with a component interface 858 tocouple the component with a backplane interface 854. For example, asupport structure can include a device carrier, including a drivecarrier structure, which can structurally support, align, and secure acomponent 856 in a housing interior. The device carrier can includevarious securing components to secure the component in the housinginterior in a particular position. In some embodiments, the devicecarrier includes a set of external connectors coupled to a backplaneinterface 854, and a set of internal connectors, coupled to the externalconnectors, which are configured to couple with an interface 858 of acomponent 856 secured in the device carrier housing interior. Theinternal connectors can include blind-mate connectors, so that acomponent, when inserted into the housing interior, and secured therein,is coupled to one or more external systems, services, etc. via theinternal connectors, external connectors, interface 854, interface 860,pathway 862, etc. In some embodiments, a device carrier can be coupledto a portion of the chassis to which the backplane 852 is coupled,including a base element of the chassis. The carrier device can includeone or more air passages configured to direct airflow between separateair plenums in a chassis interior.

The illustrated embodiment shows a horizontally-oriented backplane 852.The backplane can be configured to direct airflow across one or morecomponents into an air plenum in a chassis interior. In someembodiments, the backplane 852 includes one or more air passagesconfigured to direct airflow exiting an air passage across one or morecomponents into one or more air plenums. For example, where backplane852 is coupled to base element 710 of the chassis 708 illustrated inFIG. 7, in a portion of base element 710 included in plenum 732, thebackplane 852 can be configured to direct airflow exiting each of theair passages 740A-H to flow into plenum 732 and out of the chassis 708via exhaust end 790. In some embodiments, backplane 852 isvertically-oriented, and multiple vertically-arranged sets of componentscan be coupled to a given vertically-oriented side of the backplane. Forexample, such a side of the backplane can include twohorizontally-arranged sets of backplane interfaces 854, where one set ofinterfaces 854 is arranged above the other set, so that two sets ofcomponents can be coupled to the same side of the backplane, where oneset is coupled to the backplane above the other set. Such a backplanecan include multiple air portals in the side of the backplane to enableair flow exiting one or more air passages across one or more of thecomponents to pass through the backplane into an air plenum.

In the illustrated embodiment, backplane 852 is configured to arrangetwo sets of components 856 coupled thereto in separate row arrangementswhich extend in parallel through a chassis interior in which thebackplane 852 is coupled. It will be understood that the backplane canbe configured to arrange coupled components 856 in variousconfigurations, arrangements, etc. Such arrangements, configurations,etc. can include various component configurations illustrated in FIG.1-9. For example, in some embodiments, the backplane 852 is configuredto include a triangular shape, where opposite sides of the backplanewhich include interfaces 854 meet at a vertex, so that the componentscoupled to the opposite sides are arranged in separate rowconfigurations which extend at an angle from a first dimension. Such abackplane 852 can be coupled to the chassis 708 illustrated in FIG. 7,so that components 722A-D are coupled to one side of the backplane 852and components 722E-H are coupled to another opposite side of thebackplane, and the separate sets 720A-B of components are arranged inrow configurations which are angled from the figures dimension 782, asshown in FIG. 7. In another example, in some embodiments, the backplane852 is configured to include a staggered shape, where opposite sides ofthe backplane which include interfaces 854 are staggered through asecond dimension as the respective sides extend through a firstdimension, so that the components coupled to the opposite sides arearranged in separate staggered configurations. Such a backplane 852 canbe coupled to the chassis 308 illustrated in FIG. 3, so that components322A-F are coupled to one side of the backplane 852 and components322G-L are coupled to another opposite side of the backplane, and theseparate sets 320A-B of components are arranged in staggeredconfigurations as shown in FIG. 3.

In some embodiments, some or all of backplane 852 is included in one ormore of the computer systems illustrated herein, including computersystem 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating a perspective view of acomputer system that is configured to translate out of a mounted rack toenable hot-swapping of hot-pluggable heat-producing component mounted instaggered configurations throughout the depth of the computer systeminterior, according to some embodiments.

In some embodiments, a computer system which includes multiple sets ofcomponents coupled to the chassis in particular arrangements toestablish various air plenums and air passages in the chassis interiorincludes hot-pluggable electronic components in one or more of the setsof components. The hot-pluggable electronic components can be coupled tothe chassis in configurations that extend through the depth of thechassis between inlet and exhaust ends of the chassis. Suchconfigurations may be physically separate from one or more of the inlet,exhaust, and side ends of the chassis. As a result, the hot-pluggableelectronic components in one or more sets of components may be locatedentirely within the chassis interior. Access to hot-pluggable electroniccomponents, for example to implement hot-swapping of one or morecomponents, can be enabled through translating the chassis along one ormore dimensions to at least partially translate the chassis out of arack in which the chassis is mounted. Such translation of the chassiscan at least partially expose the chassis interior, including one ormore hot-pluggable electronic components installed in the interior, toan external environment. In some embodiments, the established airplenums in the chassis interior enable cable management of variouscabling used to maintain operations of hot-pluggable components whilethe chassis is being translated in various dimensions and to providemaneuvering space to enable maneuvering of one or more hot-pluggableelectronic components to implement hot-swapping operations.

System 900 includes a rack 901 which itself includes a slot 970 intowhich a chassis 908 is mounted. The chassis 908 can be mounted in theslot 970 via slidingly engaging with one or more rail support elements972A-B on opposite sides of the slot 970, so that the chassis 908 can beslidingly translated in and out of the slot 970 via at least an frontend of the slot on the front end of rack 901, and support elements972A-B can structurally support the chassis 908 in the slot 970. Thechassis 908 includes a base element 910 and inlet element 912, where theinlet element 912 includes inlet air vents 914A-B. The side ends 911A-Bof the chassis are at least partially unencompassed, so that the chassisinterior of chassis 908 is at least partially exposed via the side ends911A-B, as shown, when the chassis 908 is at least partially removedfrom slot 970.

Components 922A-H are coupled to the base element 910 of chassis 908 inseparate sets 920A-B which are arranged in particular configurations inthe chassis interior to establish at least separate air plenums 930A-B,932 in the chassis interior. In the illustrated embodiment, one or moreof components 922A-H include one or more hot-pluggable electroniccomponents. Each component 922A-H is configured to be coupled to anexternal system 975, which can include an external computer system, oneor more instances of processor circuitry, etc. which is external tochassis 908. External system 975, in some embodiments, is mounted inrack 901. Each component 922 is coupled to an external system 975 viaone or more separate instances of cabling 976. The components 922A-H areeach coupled to the chassis 908 in one or more arrangements whichposition one or more cabling interfaces 927 of each component 922 toface the established air plenum 932, which can be an exhaust air plenum.As a result, the chassis is configured to route the various instances ofcabling 976 to the various components 922 through the established airplenum 932. In some embodiments, the various components 922 are coupledto the chassis 908 in one or more arrangements which position one ormore cabling interfaces of the components 922 to face into an air plenumwhich is in flow communication with one or more particular ends of thechassis. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the components 922 arepositioned to face respective interfaces 927 of the components 922 intoplenum 932, where plenum 932 is in flow communication with the exhaustend 990 of the chassis 908, and where a cable management arm 974 coupledto the rack 901 enables the cabling 976 to be routed through the exhaustend 990. The cable management arm 974 is configured to manage the motionof cabling 976 when chassis 908 is translated in various directions,including out of the rack 901 via the inlet end 980. As a result, whenchassis 908 is translated at least partially into and out of slot 970,the various components 922 can remain on-line and communicativelycoupled to at least external system 975 via cabling 976.

As shown in FIG. 9, coupling multiple sets 920A-B of components 922 tochassis 908, in particular configurations which establish various airplenums 930A-B, 932 in the chassis interior, can establish spaces whichenable hot-swapping of hot-pluggable devices which are installed withinthe chassis interior and separate from one or more of the end of thechassis. The various components 922 are coupled to the base element 910of chassis 908 in two separate configurations which do not extend to anyof the inlet end 980 or exhaust end 990; access to such components 922is facilitated through translating the chassis 908 at least partiallyout of the rack 901. As shown, such translation of the chassis 908 canat least partially expose the chassis interior at least partiallyencompassed by inlet element 912 and base element 910 of chassis 908,thereby at least partially exposing the components 922 coupled to thechassis 908. One or more of the components 922, including one or morehot-pluggable electronic components, can be added, removed, swapped,etc. from the chassis interior via maneuvering the components throughone or more of the established air plenums in the chassis interior. Asshown, components 922A and 922E can be removed via the unencompassedrespective side ends 911A-B of the chassis 908. Such removal can includetranslating each components 922A, E through a respective proximate airplenum 930A-B. Such translation can be in parallel with the base element910 to which the one or more components 922 are coupled, directly, viacoupling with one or more support structures coupled to the base element910, etc. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, a component 922E canbe removed from chassis 908, as shown by element 923E, via translationof component 922E in parallel with base element 910 and through airplenum 930B to be removed from chassis 908 via side end 911B. In someembodiments, one or more components 922, 923, etc. can be removed, addedto the chassis 908 via vertical translation to or from the chassis,horizontal translation to or from the chassis, angling from the baseelement and translation to or from the chassis, some combinationthereof, etc. In some embodiments, including where the support structureto which a given component 922 is coupled to couple the component 922 tothe chassis 908 comprises a carrier structure, including a drivecarrier, the component can be accessed via translating the chassis 908at least partially out of the slot 970 to expose a portion of theunencompassed side ends 911A-B and accessing the component coupled tothe carrier structure via one of the exposed unencompassed side ends911A-B.

In some embodiments, some or all of system 900 is included in one ormore of the computer systems illustrated herein, including computersystem 200, illustrated in FIG. 2. In some embodiments, some or all ofcomputer systems illustrated herein, including computer system 200,illustrated in FIG. 2, are included in system 900.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a side view of computersystem including multiple chassis, where each chassis includes aseparate set of heat-producing components mounted on various supportstructures to establish air passages between separate air plenums in therespective chassis interior, according to some embodiments.

System 1000 includes two separate chassis 1002, 1012 stacked verticallyrelative to each other, where each chassis includes a separate set ofcomponents 1004A-D, 1014A-D coupled to a base element 1006, 1016 of therespective chassis. One or more of the components 1004, 1014 can includeone or more electronic components. One or more of the components 1004,1014 can include a carrier structure into which one or more electroniccomponents can be mounted to couple the electronic components to achassis. For example, a carrier structure can include a drive carrierconfigured to accommodate a hard disk drive. One or more of thecomponents 1004, 1014 can include one or more heat-producing components,electronic components, hot-pluggable electronic components, etc.

In some embodiments, a chassis can include one or more sets of supportstructures to which one or more components can be coupled to couple thecomponents to a chassis. In addition, some embodiments of one or moresupport structures at least partially establish one or more air passagesthrough the interior of the chassis, where the air passages areconfigured to flow in heat transfer communication with one or morecomponents coupled to the respective chassis. In the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 10, for example, each chassis 1002, 1012 includes arespective set of support structures 1013 which are coupled to therespective base element 1006, 1016 of the respective chassis 1002, 1016.The set of support structures 1013 can be coupled to a chassis in aparticular configuration which corresponds to a particular configurationof components, so that coupling a set of components to the set ofsupport structures results in the particular configuration ofcomponents. As shown, each of the support structures 1013 in theseparate chassis 1002, 1012 are coupled to the respective chassis in aconfiguration which spaces the various support structures apart, so thatcoupling a set of components 1004, 1014 to the respective set of supportstructures 1013 arranges the respective set of components in aparticular configuration in the chassis interior.

In some embodiments, one or more supports structures are configured toat least partially establish one or more air passages which are in heattransfer communication with one or more various components coupled tothe chassis. In the illustrated embodiment, each support structure 1013includes base elements 1013A-B and a coupling mount 1013 which at leastpartially establish one or more air passages in the respective chassis.The base elements 1013A-B can include coupling elements which couple asupport structure 1013 to a base element 1006, 1016 of a chassis 1002,1012, and the coupling mount 1013C can include one or more couplingelements configured to couple with one or more components 1004, 1014 tocouple the components to the respective chassis. As shown, the couplingmount 1013C can project away from the respective base element 1006, 1016to which the base elements 1013A-B of the support structures arecoupled. As a result, the support structure is configured to couple oneor more components 1004, 1014 in an elevated position within a chassis1002, 1012, so that a bottom air passage 1017 is established between acoupled component, base element, and support structures coupling thecomponent to the chassis base element. For example, in the illustratedembodiment, bottom air passage 1017 is established by a lower surface ofcomponent 1014C, an upper surface of base element 1016, and the couplingmounts 1013C of the separate support structures 1013 to which thecomponent 1014C is coupled to couple the component 1014C to chassis1012. Air passage 1017, being bounded by a single component coupled to achassis, can be in heat transfer communication with the single component1014C, independently of the other components coupled to the same chassis1012 in which the air passage is located. As a result, air directedthrough the bottom air passage 1017 can remove heat from the coupledcomponent 1014C independently of the other coupled components 1014A-B,1014D.

Each support structure 1013 can establish an air passage 1012 in a gapbetween adjacently-coupled components 1004, 1014, so that the airpassage 1012 directs an air flow to flow in heat transfer communicationwith both adjacent components, in parallel with the respective baseelements 1006, 1016 of the respective chassis 1002, 1012. In someembodiments, a divider 1015 is coupled to one or more of the components1004, 1014, support structures 1013, etc. The divider 1015 can restrictairflow through the gap 1012, thereby at least partially restricting anair flow from flowing in heat transfer communication with multipleadjacent components. For example, divider 1015 can preclude an air flowfrom flowing between components 1014C and 1014D to remove heat from bothcomponents. In some embodiments, a divider 1015 is configured to atleast partially align one or more components coupled to a chassis. Insome embodiments, divider 1015 is coupled to a lid structure 1007 of achassis 1002, independently of one or more support structures,components, etc.

In some embodiments, a chassis is configured to establish one or moretop air passages over one or more components coupled to the respectivechassis. Top air passages may be bounded on a bottom end by an uppersurface of one or more components coupled to the chassis, and may bebounded on a top end by one or more various surfaces which bound the topend of the chassis interior. For example, top air passage 1019 isbounded by an upper surface of component 1014C and a lower surface of abase element 1006 of chassis 1002 which is stacked above chassis 1012,and top air passage 1019B is bounded by an upper surface of component1004C and a lower surface of lid structure 1007 of chassis 1002. Asshown, some air passages through a chassis are unencompassed on one ormore sides, so that air flow directed through the air passages can mixwith air passing through other passages. For example, in the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 10, each top air passage 1019 above each coupledcomponent 1004, 1014 is unencompassed on side ends, so that air passingthough each top air passage 1019 can mix with air passing through one ormore other air passages 1019, 1012, etc. In some embodiments. As aresult, preheating of air passing through one or more air passages inone or more of the chassis 1002, 1012 may occur. In some embodiments,one or more air passages may be at least partially encompassed, at oneor more side ends, by one or more divider structures 1015, to at leastpartially mitigate mixing of air flows between separate air passages.

In some embodiments, some or all of computer system 1000 is included inone or more of the computer systems illustrated herein, includingcomputer system 200, illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 illustrates a method of providing a computer system withheat-producing components arranged to establish separate air plenums andair passages in the computer system interior and to enable hot-swappingof components in the interior, according to some embodiments. Theillustrated method can be implemented with regard to one or more of thecomputer systems illustrated herein, including computer system 200illustrated in FIG. 2.

At 1102, one or more sets of support structures are coupled to achassis. The chassis can include one or more elements, including one ormore base elements, inlet elements, side elements, exhaust plates, etc.The one or more sets of support structures can be coupled to one or moreof the elements comprising the chassis. The support structures arecoupled to the chassis in one or more various arrangements to configurethe support structures to couple one or more sets of components in thechassis interior in one or more particular arrangements (also referredto herein as “configurations”) to establish various air plenums, and airpassages there between, in the chassis interior. In some embodiments,one or more of the sets of support structures comprise a backplanestructure configured to couple to one or more sets of components in aparticular arrangement. In some embodiments, one or more of the sets ofsupport structures comprise multiple support structures which arecoupled to the chassis in a particular arrangement corresponding to aparticular arrangement of heat-producing components.

At 1104, one or more sets of components are coupled to the one or moresets of support structures to couple the one or more sets of componentsto the chassis in the chassis interior. The components can include oneor more electronic components, one or more carrier devices configured toaccommodate one or more electronic devices, one or more heat-generatingcomponents, some combination thereof, etc. For example, one or more ofthe components can comprise one or more hard disk drives, solid statedrives, one or more drive carrier devices, etc. One or more of thecomponents can be hot-pluggable.

Coupling one or more sets of components to the one or more sets ofsupport structures can include coupling the one or more sets ofcomponents in one or more particular arrangements in the chassisinterior. For example, a set of components can be coupled to a set ofsupport structures so that the components are arranged in a particularconfiguration which extends at least partially through first and seconddimensions of the chassis interior, and in parallel with the baseelement of the chassis. The first and second dimensions can beorthogonal to each other. The first and second dimensions can each be aseparate one of the depth, width, or height of the chassis interior. Insome embodiments, a particular configuration of a set of componentscomprises a staggered configuration of components which extends throughthe depth of the chassis interior and in a progressive offset from oneor more side ends of the chassis throughout the chassis interior.

At 1106, one or more air plenums and air passages are established in thechassis interior. The various air plenums and air passages may be atleast partially established by the one or more sets of componentscoupled to the chassis in the chassis interior. For example, a set ofcomponents, and a corresponding set of support structures to which theset of components are coupled, may establish one or more boundaries ofone or more air plenums in the chassis interior, and one or more sets ofair passages which correspond to the components and are configured todirect separate portions of airflow from one air plenum to another, inheat transfer communication with at least partially separate portions ofthe set of components. In some embodiments, the set of components andcorresponding set of support structures partially establish the variousplenums and air passages, and one or more sets of baffle elements arecoupled to one or more of the chassis, components, support structures,etc. to complete the establishment of same.

At 1108, one or more instances of cabling are coupled to the one or morecomponents coupled to the chassis. The cabling can include one or moreinstances of power cabling, communication cabling, etc. Communicationcabling can include various instances of well-known communicationcabling, including network cabling, USB cabling, etc. In someembodiments, separate instances of cabling are coupled to each separatecomponent of a set of components coupled to the chassis. For example,where one or more components coupled to the chassis are hot-pluggableelectronic components, a separate instance of communication cabling maybe coupled to each of the separate components. The various instances ofcabling can be routed to the various components in the chassis via oneor more of the established air plenums in the chassis interior. Forexample, where a chassis is configured to be mounted in a rack, wherecabling is routed between the various components in the rack and one ormore external systems, services, etc. via an exhaust side of the rack,the various instances of cabling coupled to the one or more sets ofcomponents coupled to a chassis can be routed through one or more airplenums, in the chassis interior, which are in flow communication withthe exhaust end of the chassis, so that the cabling can be routedbetween the components and one or more systems that are external to thechassis via the one or more air plenums. In some embodiments, thevarious instances of cabling are coupled to a cable management arm thatis proximate to the end of the chassis through which the cabling isrouted.

At 1110, the chassis is installed in a rack. The rack can include one ormore shelf modules, which can include one or more slots into which thechassis can be mounted to install the chassis in the rack. A slot caninclude one or more support elements, including one or more guide rails,which provide structural support and alignment to a chassis mounted inthe slot. A chassis can be translated into and out of the slot viasliding engagement of a portion of the chassis, including a lowersurface of a base element of the chassis, one or more pairs of railsupports coupled to the chassis, etc., with the various support elementsin the slot.

At 1112, a determination is made regarding whether to swap one or morecomponents coupled to the chassis. In some embodiments, where a chassisincludes one or more hot-pluggable electronic components coupled to thechassis and communicatively coupled with one or more remote systems,services, etc., including one or more remote instances of processorcircuitry, the determination includes a determination whether tohot-swap one or more of the hot-pluggable electronic components. If so,at 1114, the chassis is translated in one or more directions to at leastpartially remove the chassis from the rack slot in which it is mounted.Such translation can include sliding the chassis out of an end of therack, including an inlet end of the rack, and can at least partiallyexpose the chassis interior that is separate from an end of the chassisto an external environment that is external to the rack. Where thechassis includes components which are coupled to the chassis in thechassis interior, and physically separate from the ends of the chassis,translating the chassis can expose these components to the externalenvironment. At 1116, the one or more components are removed from one ormore support structures to which the components are coupled. Suchremoval can include removing one or more components, including one ormore hot-pluggable components, from one or more carrier structures inwhich the respective components are mounted in the chassis interior.Such removal can include decoupling the one or more components from oneor more instances of cabling. Such removal can include translating theone or more components through one or more air plenums of the chassisinterior to maneuver the components out of the chassis. For example,where a chassis includes inlet air plenums extending through a depth ofthe chassis interior, each between a separate set of components and aside end of the chassis that is unencompassed by side elements of thechassis, translation of the chassis from the rack can at least partiallyexpose the air plenum to the external environment via the unencompassedside end, and a component can be removed from the chassis interior viatranslating the component through the respective inlet air plenum andout of the chassis interior via the unencompassed and exposed side endof the chassis. Conversely, one or more components can be coupled to thechassis via maneuvering the component into a position to be coupled toone or more support structures, via an unencompassed and exposed sideend of the chassis and a proximate air plenum between the unencompassedside end and the respective one or more support structures.

The various methods as illustrated in the Figures and described hereinrepresent example embodiments of methods. The methods may be implementedin software, hardware, or a combination thereof. The order of method maybe changed, and various elements may be added, reordered, combined,omitted, modified, etc.

Although the embodiments above have been described in considerabledetail, numerous variations and modifications will become apparent tothose skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated.It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace allsuch variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for storing data, comprising: a rack;and one or more data storage modules coupled to the rack, at least oneof the data storage modules comprising: a chassis that at leastpartially encompasses a chassis interior, the chassis comprising anintake end and an exhaust end, wherein the intake end comprises at leasttwo intake air vents configured to receive cooling air into the chassisinterior; at least two sets of hot-pluggable mass storage devicescoupled to the chassis, wherein each set extends at least partiallythrough both a depth of the chassis interior and opposite directionsthrough a width of the chassis interior; at least two separate intakeair plenums configured to receive cooling air from a separate intake airvent, wherein each intake air plenum is bounded by a separate intakevent of the at least two intake air vents, a separate one of oppositesides of the chassis, and a proximate set of the at least two sets ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices; at least one exhaust air plenum,bounded by a portion of the exhaust end and each set of the at least twosets of hot-pluggable mass storage devices; and at least one set oflaterally-oriented air passages through each separate set ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices, wherein each set of air passages isconfigured to direct a separate portion of cooling air flowing through aproximate intake air plenum to flow laterally across at least a portionof the set of hot-pluggable mass storage devices and into the exhaustplenum to remove heat from at least one hot-pluggable mass storagedevice.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein: each set of hot-pluggablemass storage devices and corresponding set of air passages extend in astaggered configuration through the chassis interior, such that: aparticular hot-pluggable mass storage device, of a particular set ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices, that is coupled proximate to theintake end is proximate to a particular side of the chassis relative toanother hot-pluggable mass storage device, of the particular set ofhot-pluggable mass storage devices, that is coupled proximate to theexhaust end; each set of laterally-oriented air passages is configuredto progressively impede the cooling air flowing through a separateintake air plenum; and to progressively impede the cooling air flowingthrough the separate intake air plenum, each set of laterally-orientedair passages is configured to progressively narrow the separate intakeair plenum from the intake end towards the exhaust end.
 3. The system ofclaim 1, wherein: each laterally-oriented air passage of each set oflaterally-oriented air passages is configured to direct a separateportion of cooling air flowing through the intake air plenum toseparately remove heat from a separate hot-pluggable mass storage devicecomponent in the respective set of mass storage devices.
 4. The systemof claim 1, wherein: each hot-pluggable mass storage device, in each setof mass storage devices, is configured to communicatively couple with aremote instance of processor circuitry via a separate one of a pluralityof communication cables extending through the chassis interior via theexhaust end; the system comprises a cable management arm coupled to theexhaust end of the chassis and configured to accommodate the pluralityof communication cables; and the chassis is configured to translate atleast partially out of a front side of the rack to expose side ends ofthe chassis and enable one or more of removal or addition of one or morehot-pluggable mass storage devices in the computer system via the one ormore exposed side ends of the chassis, while maintaining thecommunicative coupling of the hot-pluggable mass storage devices withthe remote instance of processor circuitry, via the plurality ofcommunication cables, based at least in part upon the cable managementarm.
 5. A data storage module, comprising: a chassis, having a baseelement, an inlet end, and an exhaust end, that at least partiallyencompasses a chassis interior, wherein the chassis interior includes afirst dimension, extending between the inlet end and the exhaust end inparallel with the base element, and a second dimension that isorthogonal to the first dimension and in parallel with the base element;and at least one support structure coupled to the chassis and configuredto install a set of electronic components extending at least partiallythrough both the first dimension and the second dimension of the chassisinterior to establish, in the chassis interior, at least one inlet airplenum in flow communication with the inlet end, an exhaust plenum inflow communication with the exhaust end, and at least two air passagesbetween the inlet air plenum and the exhaust plenum in parallel with thebase element; wherein each air passage of the at least two air passagesis configured to direct a separate portion of cooling air flowingthrough the inlet air plenum to flow in parallel with the base elementand across at least a portion of the set and into the exhaust plenum toremove heat from at least one electronic component in the set.
 6. Thedata storage module of claim 5, wherein: the set of electroniccomponents, extending at least partially through both the firstdimension and the second dimension of the chassis interior, comprises: arow of electronic components extending through the chassis interior at aparticular angle, relative to the first dimension.
 7. The data storagemodule of claim 5, wherein: the at least one support structure isconfigured to install the set of electronic components in a staggeredconfiguration through the chassis interior, such that a particular oneof the electronic components that is installed proximate to the exhaustend is proximate to a particular side of the chassis relative to anotherone of the electronic components that is installed proximate to theinlet end.
 8. The data storage module of claim 5, wherein: the at leastone support structure is configured to progressively impede a flowdirection of cooling air through the inlet air plenum from the inletend, wherein to progressively impede the flow direction of cooling air,the at least one support structure is configured to progressively narrowthe inlet plenum from the inlet end towards the exhaust end, based atleast in part upon the set of electronic components extending at leastpartially through both the first dimension and the second dimension ofthe chassis interior.
 9. The data storage module of claim 5, wherein:each air passage of the at least two air passages is configured todirect a separate portion of cooling air flowing through the inlet airplenum to separately remove heat from a separate electronic component inthe set.
 10. The data storage module of claim 5, wherein: the at leastone support structure comprises a plurality of dividers configured topartition the at least two air passages, such that each air passage ofthe at least two air passages is configured to direct a separate portionof cooling air flowing through the inlet air plenum to flow, in parallelwith the base element, across a separate electronic component of the setof the electronic components.
 11. The data storage module of claim 5,comprising: a plurality of baffle elements, each extending between aseparate end of the set of electronic components and a proximate end ofthe chassis, to at least partially partition the inlet plenum andexhaust plenum.
 12. The data storage module of claim 5, wherein: the atleast one support structure comprises at least two separate sets ofsupport structures coupled to the chassis and configured to install atleast two separate sets of electronic components in the chassisinterior; and the separate sets of support structures are configured toinstall the at least two separate sets of electronic componentsextending in parallel through the first dimension and extendingoppositely through the second dimension, relative to each other, toestablish, in the chassis interior, at least one exhaust air plenumbetween proximate ends of the at least two separate sets of electroniccomponents and at least two separate inlet air plenums that are eachbetween a distal end of a separate set of electronic components and aseparate end of the chassis.
 13. The data storage module of claim 5,wherein: the set of electronic components comprises a set ofhot-pluggable electronic components.
 14. The data storage module ofclaim 13, wherein: the chassis is configured to translate, in the firstdimension, to expose side ends of the chassis and to enable one or moreof removal or installation of one or more hot-pluggable electroniccomponents of the set of hot-pluggable electronic components through thesecond dimension of the chassis, while maintaining communicativecoupling of an installed remainder of the set of hot-pluggableelectronic components with a remote instance of processor circuitry. 15.A method, comprising: configuring a computer system, comprising achassis at least partially encompassing a chassis interior, to directseparate portions of an intake air flow into the chassis interior toremove heat from separate portions of electronic components included inthe chassis interior, wherein the configuring comprises: coupling aplurality of electronic components to at least one support structurecoupled to a base element of the chassis, to establish, in the chassisinterior: a set of electronic components which extends at leastpartially through a depth of the chassis interior, physically separatefrom side ends of the chassis, at least one intake air plenum bounded byone side of the set of electronic components, a portion of the baseelement of the chassis, and in flow communication with an intake end ofthe chassis, an exhaust plenum bounded by an opposite side of the set ofelectronic components, another portion of the base element of thechassis, and in flow communication with an exhaust end of the chassis,and at least two air passages configured to direct separate portions ofan air flow through the intake air plenum to flow, in parallel with thebase element of the chassis across separate portions of the at least oneset of electronic components and into the exhaust plenum.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein: the set of electronic components, which extends atleast partially through a depth of the chassis interior, extends atleast partially through both the depth of the chassis interior andanother dimension that is orthogonal to the depth.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, wherein: the set of electronic components comprises a straightrow of electronic components extending through the chassis interior at aparticular angle, relative to the depth of the chassis interior.
 18. Themethod of claim 16, wherein: the set of electronic components comprisesa staggered configuration of electronic components, wherein a particularone of the electronic components that is coupled proximate to theexhaust end is proximate to a particular side of the chassis relative toanother one of the electronic components that is installed proximate tothe intake end.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein: to direct separateportions of an air flow through the intake air plenum to flow inparallel with the base element across separate portions of the at leastone set of electronic components and into the exhaust plenum, the atleast two air passages are configured to progressively impede a flow ofair through the intake air plenum from the intake end, and toprogressively impede the flow of air through the intake air plenum fromthe intake end, the at least two air passages are configured toprogressively narrow the intake air plenum, in parallel with the baseelement, from the intake end towards the exhaust end, based at least inpart upon coupling a plurality of electronic components to at least onesupport structure to establish the set of electronic components.
 20. Themethod of claim 15, wherein: each air passage of the at least two airpassages is configured to direct a separate portion of cooling airflowing through the intake air plenum to separately remove heat from aseparate electronic component in the set of electronic components.